Curette.



No. 654,763. Patenten my 3|,19oo2' .1. v. Russin..

CURETTE.

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UNITED Sr/mues-L Prvrniwr OFFICE.

JAMES V. RUSSELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CUJRTTE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters; Patent No. 654,763, dated July 31, 1900.

Application filed October 9,

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, JAMES V. RUSSELL, a

citizen of the United States, residing in the 5 city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented'a new and useful Improvement in Ourette's, of which the following is a specification. i Y

My invention relates to curettes, more especially for removing substances from the Walls of the uterus by the rotary motion of said instrument. Y

The objects of my invention are to provide a curette consisting of but few detachable parts, so that the instrument may be readily taken apart for thorough cleansing and so that it will not be expensive to make, as alsol to provide an instrument of such construe tion that it will be convenient in use, willl not accidentally get out of adjustment, and will readily adapt itself'to varying conditions, so` that injury to the patient will be avoided.`V I attain these objectsv by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in` Which- Figure l is a side view of the assembled curette, showing the douche connection and showing the blades expanded. The dotted lines in the upper portion of said figure illustrate the effect produced upon the blades When the adj usting-collar is moved to a position near the central portion of the shankof the instrument. Fig. 2 is a side View of the curette, showing the blades in a contracted position. Fig. 3 is a face view of the main frame or stock of the instrument, showing the shank and the threaded butt thereoffand the channel for receiving the blades of the instrument. At the lower extremity of esaid figure is indicated in dotted lines the interior thread for receiving the douche connection. Fig. 4 is a side view of a portion of the pipe which forms the exterior douche connection. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view ofthe" shank of said instrument, taken on the line 5 5, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view,`slightly enlarged, of the threaded butt, taken on the line 6 6, Fig. Fig. 7 isa view of a portion of the cutting edge of a blade. Said figureis on a scale somewhat enlarged and shows the offset bearing whereby said blade is attached to one of the terminal pins of the stock. Fig. 8 is a face view of a por- Serial No. 733,065. (No model.)

tion of the 'cutting-blade, as shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a sideview of the interiorly-threaded sleeve which forms the handle of the curette. A portion of said handle is shown in longitudinal section, thereby revealing a portion of-said interior thread and also the aperture at the lower extremity of said handle for re-' ceiving the douche-pipe. Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The stock A consists of a' hollow rod or shaft, preferably of metal, having a central duct a extending from the Aouter extremity of the threaded butt B of said stock to a point near the outer extremity of the shank C thereof, where saidduct has the lateral openings a a. 'Connecting with said duct a at the extremity thereof and lying within the butt B is the threaded portion a2 of said stock for receiving the threaded extremity d of the exterior douche-pipe D. The opposite ex- Atremity d of said pipe VD Vis also threaded to lengage the nipple E, whereby said pipe may be connected to a hose or other vessel. The ducts within said nipple E, pipe D, and stock A thus form'a continuous passage-way for conveyingthe liquid which is to be sprayed or douched upon the walls of the cavity operated upon. The thread upon the butt B extends throughoutthe greater portion of the length thereof and has a preferably steep pitch lin order to effect aV quick longitudinal motion of the handleF when said handle is rotated upon the stock A.

At the extremity of the butt B, which lies nearer the central portion of the stock A, are the ears b b, which extend laterally from said stockand'furnish means whereby the operator may grasp the instrument and prevent the rotation thereof when said handle'F is being screwed in either direction upon the said stock A. The terminal pins c c are set in said stock at the outer extremity of the shank C thereof and serve as means of attachment for the cutting or scraping blades G G. A portion of the'saidshank O,'ne`ar said pins c c, is cut away to allow free play forsaid bladesuponsaid pins. Theehannnels c c lie in, opposite faces ofthe stockl A' and extend from a point near the said terminal pins c c to the opposite extremity of said stock. The portion of each of said channels c' c' lying IOO within the shank C is bounded by the flanges c2 c2 in the manner shownin Fig. 5. As said channels extend through the butt B, portions of the thread thereof are cut away, leaving a cross-section, as shown in Fig. 6. Said'iianges c2 c2 serve to prevent the edges of the blades G G from coming in-to contact with surrounding objects when said blades are contracted. Said blades G G consist, preferably, of strips of spring-steel and are provided at their forward vextremities with the loops or returnA bends g.g for inclosing .the terminal pins c c..

Said loops have offset axes, as indicatedin Figs. l and 2 and as shown in detailin Fig. 7.v By this construction when the blades G G are forced in a forward directionthey do not become disengaged from the pins c c, but tend to bowoutwardly `or expand, as shown in Fig. l". f `Assaid blades are resilient, however, they may be easily disengaged from said terminal pins by spreading said loops g g sufficiently to allow the passage of said pins. Another advantage of the loop construction described is that the forward extremity of the instrument presents a smooth and rounded surface -for entering the cavity. The blades G G when contracted lie in the channels c c andextend from said pins to a point beyond the opposite .extremity of the stock A. rlhe rear or lowerextremities of said blades are preferably provided with slight lateral bends g' g' for the better engagement of said blades with the handle F. The excess of the length of said blades G G is such that when said bent extremities g g' are forcedto a position adjacent to the rear extremity of the stock-A the resulting expansion of said blades will be as great as may be required of the instrument.

aperture f is sufficient to permit the handle F to move freely upon the butt B independently'of said pipe D. The handle F is of such length that when the blades G G lie in the -channelsc c and project beyond the lower extremity of the stock A, as shown in Fig. 2,said handle incloses a sufficient portion of the butt B to maintain its position thereon. The lock-nutY H also engages the thread upon the butt B and occupies a position thereon between said handle F and the ears b b on the stock A. By means of said nut `the said handle may be locked in any position upon said stock, and when so locked said handle becomes Virtually a part of said stockjand may be grasped by the operator using the instrument.

The adjusting-collar J occupies a position upon the shank C of the stock A and incloses said shank and blades lG G, confining the latterwithin the channels c' c. Saidcollar allows free fplay for said blades within said channels, but binds the said shank sufficiently to4 maintain its position thereon when set at any desired point. Said collar projects `but slightly from said stock and may therefore readily penetrate small aperturesas, for example, the os uteri.

In the operation of the curette the lock-nut H is loosened and the handle F retracted by screwing it rearwardly along the butt B until the blades G G project-to their full extent beyond the vrear extremity of the stock A. Theblads G G then become straightened by the force of theirown resiliency and `lie with- 'in the channels c c'. The adj usting-cbllar J is then moved to a position 'upon' vthe shank C' such that the` distanceb'etween the forward looped extremities of the blades GG and the said collar J is equal to thefdepth of the cavity to-be operated upon. The nipple E is then connected to the hose or' other vessel wherefrom the douching liquid is to be supplied. The shank C and contracted blades G G arev then `inserted into the cavity, and

when the proper position therein is reached the handle F is screwed upon the butt B-,so as to approach the forward extremity thereof. This motion of the said handle Vcauses the head f thereof-to act upon the extremities Ag g' of the blades G G and force the latter in a forward direction. As the forward extremities of said blades are fixed relatively to the stock A, the forcing of the rear extremities g g in a forward direction induces in said blades a tendency to lateral ilexure. lThe offset construction of the forward extremities g g of said blades causes said flexing tendency to take eect at and near said extremities, where lsaid exure is confined by means of the collar J.. When said blades are expanded sutliciently, the lock-nut H is screwed tightly against the handle F and prevents the latter frommoving relatively to the stock A. The -liquid is then allowed to pass into the nipple E, whence it flows through the pipe D and duct-a and emerges into the cavity from the aperture ct ct'.- At the same time the curette is rotated, thereby causing the blades G G to scrape the walls of the cavity and remove the superfluous substance therefrom. When the instrument is to be withdrawn, the nut H is loosened and the handle `F unscrewed until the blades G G uniiex or contract and return to'their positions in the channels c' c', when no obstructionV is offered .and the withdrawal -is easily effected.- Y

By moving the adjusting-collar J to -a forward position upon the stock the blades may be flexed, so as to project beyond the extremity'of the stock, as indicated'by the dotted lines, Fig. l, said blades thereby being in a position to operate upon the inner extremity of the cavity. In this latter case the said collar may enter said cavity.

, The adj usting-collarJ is-an important fea- ICO IIO

ture of my invention, for by its use any desiredamount of expansion of the blades G G is permitted, and at the same time the mouth of the cavity, which is usually contracted, is protected from said blades. The said collar, taken in connection with the variable expansion of the blades, enables the instrument to be adapted to a great variety of shapes and sizes of cavities. The sliding adjustable collar or ring J, which is mounted on the stock C, between the handle F and the forward extremity of said stock, embraces the `blades G G with sufficient looseness to permit said blades when outwardly expanded or 'flexed to yield inward by sliding more or less th rough said collar and flex or expand outward below or on the handle side of the same when the said blades meet with unusual resistance, this yielding or flexure of the said blades being of great advantage where the cavity is of unusual form, as injury to the patient is thereby avoided.

It is evident that if no douche is required the curette may be used with the pipe D and nipple E removed.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a curette,the combination with a stock, of exible blades having a length greater than said stock and attached to the forward end of the latter, and a hollow handle at the opposite end and longitudinally adjustable on said stock and into which the ends of said blades extend, said handle being provided with means to engage the said flexible blades so that when the said handle is moved forl ward on said stock the said blades will be expanded.

2. Ina curette,the combination with a stock provided with longitudinal channels in its o pposite sides, fiat flexible blades secured at their outer ends to the forward extremity of said stock and normally housed in said channels, and a handle at the opposite end and movable longitudinally on said stock and within which the free ends of said flexible blades are disposed and by which they are expanded when said handle is moved forward on the stock.

3. In a curette,the combination with a stock, of flexible blades attached to the forward extremity of said stock, a handle carried by said stock and longitudinally movable thereon and within which the free inner ends of said exible blades extend and by which they are expanded, and an adjustable or sliding bladecontrolling collar intermediate the forward endskof said blades and said movable handle, and which permits of a fiexure of said blades below said collar.

4. In a curette,the combination with a stock provided with longitudinal channels in its opposite sides, of fiat fiexible blades attached to the forward extremity of said stock and normally housed within said longitudinal channels; a handle carried by said stock and longitudinally movable thereon and `within vided with opposite, longitudinal channels Y extending its entire length, of dat flexible blades detachablysecured to the forward extremity of said stock and normally housed within said channels; a handle mounted on said screw-threaded lower end of the stock and within which the free inner ends of said flexible blades are disposed and by' which they are expanded; a sliding blade-control ling collar between the forward extremity of said stock and said movable handle, and a lock-nut on said screw-threaded stock to determine and limit the movement of said handle and hold it and said expanded blades against further movement.

6. In a curette, the combination with a hollow stock having channels in its opposite sides extending its entire length,` of a handle screw-threaded on one end of said stock and having an aperture in its bottom for the passage ot a douche-tube; flat flexible blades having offset loops at their forward ends by which they are secured to the forward extremity of said stock, said blades being normally housed in the channels in said stock and having their free ends disposed within said movable handle, and said blades abutting against the bottom of said handle; a sliding collar on said stock between the forward end of the stock and said handle, a lock-nut threaded on said stock to determine and limit the movement of said handle and hold it and said expanded blades against further movement, 4and a douche-tube attachable to the lower end of said stock.

7. In a curette having expanding and contracting blades attached to the forward extremity of said curette at adjacent points thereon by means of .loops or bends in said blades, offsets in said loops or bends whereby said blades are caused toiiex laterally in opposite directions when the opposite extremities of said blades are forced'to approach the said 'loops or bends in their respective blades.

8. In a curette, the combination of a stock, pins fixed in said stock at the forward extremity, thereof adjacent to each other, expanding, cutting or scraping blades lying on opposite sides of said stock, said blades extending to the outer lateral surfaces of said pins, thence forward and inwardly around said pins, thence rearwardly,making return-bends wherein said pins are engaged; said blades forming at their forward bends the portion of the instrument whereby the mouth of the IOO IIO

oalijityis first spread, and nieans for iexing"v said blades vbyeausing the rear extremities `moved forward on the stock; 'a-bl'adeeeontrolthereof to approach said pins.

9. In a eurette, the combination with a" Y 5 .channeled or recessed stock provided with a douche-passage a and having a sorewvthread- .ed portion Bat one end and pinsor eyese at its other end, of flexible blades G having I open oset loops g by Which they are secured 1o `to said eyes c so as to aiord a-taperingori `rounded end to the instrument, the main por'- tions of said blades being housed in the ehannelsof said stock; a handle F mounted on the s screw-threaded portion Bof said stock and 15 having a flange g provided with a douche` tube aperture f and against which flange the free innerendsgof saidbljades G restfand by which jth'eyareiexpa'nded -assaid handle Bis ling collar, J longitudinally movable on said stock-andl adapted t 'serve .as a means for Closing the eontraetedentranee of theeavityj; a look-nut H todetermine and limit the movementfof thehandl'e E and-hold it 'and the expanded lloops against accidental displacement, and a douche-tube D passing through 4the aperture f in handle F and attaehable to the said stock. p q JAMES V. RUSSE-LL.

Witnesses: Y

JOSEPH RUSSELL, J AMES MAHER.. 

